We're hiring! Join our team as an HGV Technician and help keep Oxford moving – apply now!
ODS Turns Lost Wheels Into Second Chances with Bike Donation
Over one hundred abandoned bicycles, collected from across Oxford, have been donated by ODS to Recycle Your Cycle - a social enterprise that refurbishes bikes in UK prison workshops. The initiative helps prisoners develop practical skills while supporting sustainability and promoting access to affordable transport.
ODS has this week donated 107 abandoned bicycles, collected from across Oxford, to Recycle Your Cycle - a social enterprise that refurbishes bikes in UK prison workshops. The initiative helps prisoners develop practical skills while supporting sustainability and promoting access to affordable transport.
The bikes, originally recovered by ODS as part of its mission to keep Oxford clean and tidy, will now be repaired and given a second life by inmates. Once restored, they are distributed to charities and low-income individuals across the UK.
"At ODS, we’re committed to sustainability and making Oxford a greener, cleaner place to live,” said Simon Howick, Managing Director of ODS. “Rather than sending these bikes to landfill, we’re helping to give them a second life - supporting both communities in need and rehabilitation efforts in prisons. This partnership is a great example of how public services and social enterprises can work together to make a real difference".
Recycle Your Cycle operates in prisons across the country, providing inmates with meaningful work, hands-on training, and a sense of purpose. Each refurbished bicycle contributes to their rehabilitation and supports wider community goals.
“This generous donation from ODS shows how local authorities can help create powerful social and environmental impact,” said Mark Abrahams, Director of Recycle Your Cycle. “Every bike makes a difference - both to the prisoner gaining new skills and to the new rider receiving reliable, low-cost transport.”
ODS continues to explore creative ways to reduce waste, support inclusion, and strengthen local partnerships as part of its commitment to a sustainable Oxford.
